Iris versicolor, the Blue Flag Iris, is a hardy lakeshore perennial herb of shallow water. It is a native of Eastern Canada and the Northern United States. This well-known plant is from 2 to 3 feet height. Good for water gardens and bogs. One of the easiest, and showiest, of aquatics for the home gardener.
The flowers are consisting of 3 sepals and 3 petals. The flowers are large, 3-4 inches across, showy, light to deep blue with yellow and whitish markings at the base of the sepals. They appear atop erect stems, bearing from 2 to 6 flowers, from May to July. The erect stem, sometimes branched near the top.
It produces narrow, slightly arching, sword-shaped, blue-green leaves, no more than 1 cm wide. The plant spreads by means of its modified stems, rhizomes, which are located below the soil surface.
Hardiness zones 3-9, (-37°C/-35°F, -5°C/25°F) in Winter. Iris versicolor need full sun to partial shade with a heavy, rich moist soil. Use a soil mix consisting of 2 parts clay to 1 part loam to 1 part sand. The plants are kept moist at all times, which makes it a great plant for water features. Fertilization minimal if any. They grow very quickly.
| Label |
No |
| Common name |
Blue Flag Iris |
| Family |
No |
| Genus |
No |
| Species |
Iris versicolor |
| Cultivar |
No |
| Therapeutic uses |
No |
| Germination |
First, you can scarify the seeds to try to speed up germination. For faster germination, soak the seeds in slightly hot water for 24-48 hours, followed by 3 months cold stratification before sowing, 1/4 inch deep, in your soil. Keep damp soil, not soaking wet. Keep pot in warm situation 20°C/68°F. Germination usually takes several months. It can be more, depending on their degree of unbroken dormancy, don't give up.
|
| Scarification / Stratification |
Seed coats may be so hard that they are impermeable to water. They need to be scratched or broken using a knife or sandpaper, in order to germinate. Chip the seeds with a sharp knife or make a few swipes with a sharp edged file or use sandpaper to allow moisture being more readily absorbed.
|
Use spaces to separate tags. Use single quotes (') for phrases.
